


Pirates and Eyeliner

by oncertwice



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Modern AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-21
Updated: 2015-01-21
Packaged: 2018-03-08 12:54:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3209927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oncertwice/pseuds/oncertwice
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU in which Killian is an actor and Emma is his makeup artist.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“ _Another_ pirate movie?” Emma gives an exaggerated groan as she listens to the details of her next job. “Aren’t there already enough of those in existence?”

Regina heaves a long-suffering sigh and leans forward in her desk chair. “Apparently not, Miss Swan.” She scribbles down a note on a piece of paper and slides it across the desk to Emma.

"This is the address. They want you on set by 7:30 tomorrow morning."

Emma takes the slip of paper and stands from her chair. “Alright. Thanks.” She lets herself out of Regina’s office without another word.

-/-

Killian awakes to the sound of his cell phone ringing on his nightstand. He reaches for it blindly, feeling around before he gets a hold of it. He checks the caller ID and sees the incoming call is from his assistant, William Smee.

He sits up and clears his throat before he answers it. “Hello, Smee.”

"Uh, good morning, Mr. Jones. Did you know that—"

"Smee," Killian sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose, "I’ve told you before, it’s Killian. Now, try again."

"I’m sorry, sir. Good morning, Killian. Did y—"

"Atta boy, Smee."

"Thank you, sir. Did you know that you are supposed to be on set by 7:30 this morning?"

Killian pulls the phone away from his ear so that he can check the time, which reads 7:21. _Shit_.

"Thanks for the call, Smee." Killian hurriedly rushes off of the phone, hoping he didn’t sound sarcastic.

He leaps out of bed and changes his clothes before heading off to the studio.

-/-

7:45. It is 7:45 and the jackass hasn’t shown up yet.

Emma barely manages to smile as her friend and coworker, Ruby, hands her a takeaway cup of coffee.

"Relax, Emma," Ruby sighs, "I don’t know why you always get so uptight about punctuality."

"Because, Ruby," Emma tries to keep her voice calm, "he is wasting my time."

"Whatever. It’s _Killian freaking Jones_. How are you not excited just to be in the same room with him?”

Emma scoffs as she takes a sip from her coffee cup. “So he’s been in a few movies. So what? I’m not impressed.”

"Ha," Ruby laughs dryly, "you wouldn’t be, Miss I-Don’t-Date-Actors. Maybe you oughtta step outside of your comfort zone."

Emma shakes her head, trying to shut out the memory of those soft brown eyes and that gut-wrenching disappointment that always comes along with them.

( _You date one actor and you’ve dated them all._ )

"Whatever you say, Ruby. This Killian guy better have a damn good excuse for—"

"For what, exactly?"

Emma turns her head to see a tall, handsome, dark-haired man walking up to her and Ruby. She can see that he’s already been to wardrobe, as he’s dressed from head to toe in black leather. The shirt he’s wearing under his almost-floor-length coat is barely buttoned— _are there even buttons on it?_ — and it provides her with an enticing view of his chest, which she can see is furred and muscular.

( _Not bad._ )

She knows that this is Killian; she recognizes him from what little she’s seen of his work. She folds her arms across her chest and raises an eyebrow at him.

"For wasting my time. You realize you were supposed to be here twenty minutes ago, right?"

He laughs— _he actually laughs at her_ — as he sits down in her chair. ”I must say, you are making quite the first impression, lass.”

"Yeah," She huffs, turning to get his makeup ready, "so are you, pal."

Ruby’s cell phone rings and she looks at it before turning to Emma. “Yikes! I gotta take this one, Em. Be back later.”

Emma watches as Ruby scurries away, cell phone held tightly to her ear.

She moves to stand beside Killian as he sits in her chair, eyes closed, waiting for her to begin. She dabs concealer under his eyes and uses a sponge to blend it into his skin. 

"You should get more sleep," she offers in an attempt at breaking the silence. "These dark circles aren’t helping either of us."

He chuckles softly, and she barely manages to keep her hand steady as he shakes with laughter. “I will try to remember that one. And before I forget: what’s your name, darling?”

"Emma Swan," she answers with a sigh as she turns her back to him and puts the concealer back into her kit.

She moves on to apply his eyeliner— _what is it with pirates and eyeliner?_ — and she has to physically hold his chin to keep him still.

"Seriously? Why are you so squirmy?" She grunts in frustration after nearly poking him in the eye for the fortieth time.

"I can’t bloody help it. I can hardly say that I’m used to wearing this sort of thing." He mumbles out his indignant reply as he continues to struggle against her hands.

"You’re such a big baby. You’re lucky you’re a pretty one or the ladies would never put up with you."

He opens one eye at that, and raises an eyebrow. “Oh, hardy har har. All I heard is that you think I’m pretty.”

"You aren’t funny," She deadpans, turning his head from side to side to ensure that the eyeliner is even.

(Okay, so maybe that one was a _little_ bit funny. But she makes sure that he’s closed his eyes again before she smiles.)

"Don’t you worry, Emma. I’ll win you over yet."

"Yup. We’ll see."

He smiles and quirks an eyebrow. “Aye. That we will.”

"Alright, open your eyes for me." She commands him as she takes a step back so that she can get the full effect.

Her eyes rove over his face, taking silent inventory of the bases and colors she’s mixed so that she’ll be able to do it again tomorrow.

As she’s watching him, he’s doing the same to her; letting his eyes wander from her face down to her neck, taking note of the lovely swan necklace she’s wearing.

"That’s quite a nice chain you’ve got there, Swan."

At the mention of her necklace, she reaches for it before letting her hand fall back to her side. “Thanks, I guess.”

"Where did you get it?" He asks nonchalantly, as if he doesn’t know that the very subject is threatening to swallow her whole.

Well, he doesn’t.

"What the hell is this, 20 questions?" She deflects his inquiry with a pointed glare, hoping he’ll just let it go.

"Ah, I see." He looks at her with a knowing glint in his eye. "It was a gift from a former love."

Emma shakes her head because _this is not happening right now._

"So what if it was?" She asks with a sigh and a roll of her eyes.

He shrugs his shoulders in surrender. “There’s nothing wrong with that, it’s only a necklace,” his left hand unconsciously moves to run its fingers over his right forearm, “at least you can take it off.”

Emma wonders what he means, but only for a second before Ruby runs up to them.

"Mr. Jones? They need you in wardrobe again."

Killian smiles and rises from Emma’s chair, giving her a slight bow before turning away. “Until tomorrow, Swan.”

He leaves before she can say anything back, and for a few moments she just stands there and thinks.

But not about him, of course. Because she doesn’t date actors.


	2. Chapter 2

They’ve been filming for about a month now, and much to Emma’s surprise, she’s actually enjoying this job.

She has to remind herself that it’s the  _job_ that she enjoys;  _not_ the pompous pretty boy she’s forced to powder and primp every morning.

After their rocky first day, Emma has formed a reluctant friendship with Killian.

(Less because she wants to be his friend, and more because it’s a lot easier to stand an inch in front of someone’s face if you don’t want to murder them.)

"Morning, Swan," he singsongs as he strides across the floor, smiling brightly at her before he throws himself down into her chair.

She has her back turned to him, so he can’t see her rolling her eyes, but she does it anyway, more out of habit than as an actual response.

"Good morning, Killian." She turns around and takes in the sight of the man she’s truly gotten to know over the past thirty-four days. 

He’s a definite night-owl, he stays up way later than any man with a schedule like his ever should.

(And she only know this because of his _incessant_ midnight texting.)

He fancies himself a real Casanova, but she can hardly blame him for that, seeing as how the entire female population of the world seems to be waiting on standby to let him know how wanted he is.

He is arrogant,— although he’d probably tell you he’s _confident_ — but something about his personality keeps calling to her.

"So, Emma," he breaks into her thoughts as he calls her name, pulling her back to the present, "are you free this Saturday night?"

Emma sighs, tucking her hair behind her ear with a shy smile and a shake of her head. “Jones, I’ve told you before. I don’t date actors.”

Killian gives an exaggerated groan and tosses his head back in frustration. “Is it because we work together?”

Emma sighs loudly before she answers, “No.”

He sits up now, eyeing her intently. “Is it because you don’t find me _attractive_?”

She has to stifle a laugh at that one, biting her lip to keep her giggles in. “No. Trust me, it’s  _not_ that.”

Killian gives her a dashing smirk accompanied by a raise of his eyebrow. “Ah, so this devilishly handsome pirate has caught your eye, has he?”

Emma looks at him with a scowl, although there’s still laughter in her eyes. “You do know that you aren’t a  _real_ pirate, right?”

He shrugs and leans back in the chair. “Don’t try to change the subject, Swan. Why don’t you want to go out with me?”

Emma groans loudly and puts a hand over her face. “It’s not you, Killian. It’s me.”

“Fine, whatever you say.” Although his answer sounds like a compromise, Emma knows that this is not the last she’ll be hearing of this argument.

Emma steps up to him, still mixing the fake blood he’ll need for the fight scene he’s about to shoot.

She sets the blood aside grabs a wipe from her kit, sweeping it across his face to prepare it for the heavy makeup.

"You know, Swan," he peeks one eye open to catch a glimpse of her, "I happen to think that I’m an actor who’s worth dating."

Emma cracks a tiny smile at that, and turns away from him. “Of course you’d say that. You’d say anything to change my mind.”

Killian shrugs, closing his eyes again. “Well, not anything. I wouldn’t lie.”

Emma walks back over to him, this time with her makeup kit in hand. She dabs her sponge into the dark red powder and blots his cheekbone with it.

"Just so we’re clear, that’s exactly what a liar would say."

He laughs, and she almost doesn’t mind, but the movement is throwing off her concentration.

"Killian, sit still."

He steels himself, although his smile is still quite prominent on his face. “Sorry.”

Emma shakes her head and looks back to her makeup, this time opting for a yellow-ish green color. She blends it into the red, turning the spot into a sickly brown blemish. She now adds a dark purple to bring out the paleness of the skin around the mark.

She brings her face closer to his, trying to make sure that everything is properly blended.

She tries to tell herself that the proximity is necessary; how else is she going to get a better look? But deep down, she knows. She knows that he’s beginning to get to her.

And she’s not sure if she likes it.

Emma abruptly turns back to her supplies and picks up the fake blood. She brings it over along with a fine brush and resumes her position in front of Killian.

She swirls the brush around in the blood before bringing it up to his forehead, making what could easily pass for a small gash in his eyebrow.

"What is it about actors, anyway?" Killian breaks the silence, hoping he sounds more nonchalant than curious.

Emma shakes her head and heaves a deep sigh. “I don’t know. I’m sure that there are some nice ones out there, but the last time I let my guard down around an actor, it didn’t end well.”

"Ah, so, you dated one?" He makes an amused sound in the back of his throat. "Who was he?"

After a moment of silence, Killian opens his eyes and looks at Emma with raised eyebrows. “Or… _she_?”

Emma can’t help the laugh that escapes her. If he weren’t so annoying that might almost have been cute.

"Yes, I dated an actor. And I’m not telling you who he is."

Killian shrugs, and Emma can tell he’s thinking about something.

She moves on with his makeup, bringing her brush down to the corner of his mouth.

She moves in close again, her face only inches away from his as she makes a trail of the fake blood from the corner of his mouth down to his chin.

She can’t help but look at his lips, and she notices how full they are. And _god, they look so soft._

For whatever reason, she wonders what it’d be like to kiss those lips. Or to feel them as they leave a hot trail over her neck or her shoulders or her collarbone.

At some point her breathing turns shallow and when she comes back into focus, he’s looking at her with an eyebrow raised.

"Something the matter, Swan?"

Emma can feel her cheeks burning bright red, so she quickly steps away from him and wipes her suddenly sweaty palms on a nearby towel. “Um, no. Nothing.”

Killian opens his mouth to question her, but just as he’s about to speak, there’s an announcement overhead calling him to the set.

He sighs heavily and rises from Emma’s chair. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”

Emma nods in agreement and tries not to watch him as he walks away. 

-/-

That evening, long after midnight when Killian can’t sleep, he decides to text Emma, as he does every night.

He smiles to himself as he sends his message, and somehow he drifts right off to sleep.

-/-

Emma awakens in the middle of the night to the buzzing of her cell phone.

She squints her eyes to get a better look at the screen and sees that she has four texts from Killian.

_Oh, great. Probably more drunken ramblings._

When she reads the messages, she nearly drops her phone to the floor.

_"Swan, I know what you were thinking today."_

_"The next time you want to kiss me, just do it."_

_"I won’t bite unless you ask me to."_

_”(;”_

Is that a fucking _winky-face_?

In that moment there was one thought on Emma’s mind.

She is going to _kill_ Killian Jones.


End file.
